After suffering from several bouts of pneumonia and losing some of her distance vision, Jessica Bolt knew that she would not be able to afford rent or an average home on her teacher’s salary. So, she had a tiny house from Tiny Green Cabins made according to her specifications. Jessica knew that she wanted a tiny home built by a company from the northern part of the U.S. where winter temperatures can drop to 40 degrees below zero, and she wanted it on wheels so she could move it wherever she wanted.
Jessica’s plan for her tiny house came to her about five years ago when she decided she wanted a small, energy-saving home that would also be kind to her allergic reactions to environmental toxins. She also wanted it to be able to fit a washer and dryer since the nearest laundry was 100 miles away. Her house is 196 square feet with a staircase to the loft, a full-size kitchen and shower, an incinerating toilet and skylights. The interior is covered in 3-inch-wide white ash boards.
Tiny Green Cabins, located in Minnesota, designs and builds custom tiny homes with non-toxic options, thicker walls and roof sheathing for colder climates, a welded steel frame and organic-certified materials. The prices for their 196 square foot home (called the High Plains Drifter) are around $72,000 to $85,000 depending on the environmental options.
Photos courtesy of Tiny Green Cabins and the Williston Herald
By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]
don’t spend $75,000 on one of these if you looking to save money. go on line and google FEMA trailers, they are larger and go for about $3,000.
Fema Trailers do offer great value, especially the ones that look like traditional homes. However, the quality of workmanship and materials used on this house and others like it, would far surpass that of a FEMA house. I agree with you, that these are, perhaps, overpriced. I would rather try and build my own.
You’re missing the point
“Jessica’s plan for her tiny house came to her about five years ago when she decided she wanted a small, energy-saving home that would also be kind to her allergic reactions to environmental toxins.”
Those FEMA trailers have problems with formaldehyde (common in many conventional building products – but apparently more of a problem with the FEMA trailers) and would not have met this woman’s needs in that way. Also, they are typically not meant to be in colder climes which was part of the issue here.
Hi, I love your article. I recently finished an post on preserving meat. I like to make my own beef for New Year!. I will be creating a basic ice cream to go with it. The kids will be off school and I am sure they are going to love it.
Mike: While I agree that they are asking WAY too much money for these ‘cabins’, I don’t know if a FEMA trailer will retain much heat at 40 below zero; I’ve had friends who lived in them after hurricanes demolished their homes and they said those FEMA trailers are very cheaply made and would not stand up to daily use for more than a few years. The cabins featured in this article are probably much more sturdy and weather-tight, but if I was going to spend that kind of money on a Tiny House, I’d want it to come with LAND, too!
I only did one google search for Fema trailers and most of the links are about how their toxic. I didn’t check into anything, but that would definetly need to be looked at!!
google ‘fema trailer formaldehyde’ & then reconsider ; )
Ridiculous price for a 196 sq ft home.
It’s beautifully made, and being for a colder climate that must add to the cost.
While I think it’s expensive for the size, the owner is happy with it so that says a lot.
And I’m really glad to see it has a porch. Good for bad weather, and wonderful for good.
OMG! Prices like that with NO LAND??? RIDICULOUS!!!
Homes generally for people with multiple chemical sensitivities and the like are difficult to find at any size and more costly to build than the average. Most of us just struggle through with the inadequacies of what is available out there and feel sick all the time. I was fortunate enough to live for a year and a half in a huge custom made home that was built for someone with MS that addressed indoor air quality. I haven’t felt that healthy in years. It was way too big at 3000 sq ft, but having the air filter, the non-toxic building materials, hard flooring throughout, etc all made a difference in my health. Conventional building materials are almost all toxic, especially to someone who has a health condition like this. The alternatives are expensive.
Being set up for colder climates also adds costs. It is expensive, but less so than you would expect given those two factors. Where I live even a conventional build of this size would run close to $50K.
I love the house but wouldn’t have put a door on the side of the house because it takes away from useable space. The porch entrance would have been enough.
I agree, the price for these 196 sq.ft. cabins is ridiculous!!
WAY! too much money!
Part of this movement, in my mind, is to make home ownership more affordable. Most of us would be carrying a huge mortgage. No thanks, my dreams lie in “healthier” directions.
Similiar sized & looking small houses are available here in North Alabama, with appliances installed, for 16k. I’m sure the extra insulation adds to the cost, but good gosh!
I don’t understand how you save money by spending spending $367/ft on a home.
If that’s the home you want, then fine. I just don’t understand the justifications people use.
I need to go into the highway robbery… er… I mean, tiny house construction business!
A business is a business is a business. Every business model is predicated on profits. Regardless of motive, plan, idea, product or service, businesses simply cannot survive without profits.
Since the term “profit” can be a turn-off these days in the public square, certain businesses are savvier than others. They mask their profit motive with catchy marketing terms like “green”, “sustainability”, “environmental”, “socially-conscious” and even “affordable”. Note: it’s usually none of the above.
What they don’t like to talk about is profits–unless its a public company.
Businesses generate profits through skillful management of their operating costs and distribution.
To achieve this, they rely on marketing or a form of deception by playing on people’s emotions, sensibilities, weaknesses, gullibility, ignorance, impulsive buying habits, etc.
The Tiny House space is no exception and I find this remarkably unsettling.
As I previously commented on other articles, the Tiny House Community is its own worse enemy at the moment. The movement is led by a few money-grubbers who charge an exorbitant amount for something which has questionable value.
Individuals who built their own Tiny Homes using reclaimed material, open source information, imagination and effort will be the first to tell you that a sheds of wheels in the market are a major league rip-off.
$72 for a Tiny Home is just insulting.
I agree with you 100 % .
In my area ( De ) I have seen the listing of old houses including 1/5 of acre for $ 25 K ( that is negotiable ) The property look bad and they need to be fixed . So let say if I buy that property for $ 20 K , and fix it for about $ 30 K more , then the total is only $ 50 K ( with land _ by the way is 3 beds 1 bath )
It would be much cheaper and better than this tiny house . In this tough economy , of course people need to make profit to survive but they don’t have to rob …like Josh said .
Jessica is happy for what she has and it counts , because she can afford it . But for the majority when we look into the tiny houses , we are looking to save money for what we can afford , not for what people can rob us . This is to think about . TM.
Consumerism is often conflated with price fluctuations. The latter is based more on market demand and scarcity–or its contrivance (see: Goldman).
Consumerism is actually a religion by a different name. Followers offer up their fruits in exchange for a temporary high through their newly-acquired product, label or status symbol. You give your hard-earned cash to a business entity and they provide you with the drug to feed your buying addiction.
Men who drive gaudy, massive pick-up trucks who don’t actually need it for anything constructive are just expressing their personal shortcomings: obsession with the phallus into the consciousness. Isn’t that the driving message behind those commercials?
In the Tiny House “movement”, some enthusiasts are compelled to drop $1k on stock plans because they’re duped into believing that certain YouTube videos or photoshopped images give it a level of street cred. When in reality, many plans can be purchased for a fraction of the cost.
Most Tiny House businesses understand this. They’ve adopted the mainstream marketing model and applied it to this growing space. And this is what really surprises me. I thought we were above this. It’s become a mockery.
I don’t think there is a “we.” There is no collective way of thinking. There are many different individuals who are drawn to small and tiny homes for different reasons, whether they be ecological, financial, practical, or other. I think to say “we are above this” is no better than any person from a political affiliation calling someone a turncoat or un-American for having a somewhat different view. There was a woman who put a small Tumbleweed permanent home on a plot of land that was costly, and out came the critics because she wasn’t doing what “we” are supposed to be doing according to some random notion that some bossy person made up.
Live and let live.
“Live and let live.”
I’m not telling people what to buy or what to eat or how to build their homes.
Dissent can be productive. It keeps the market honest and allows for discussions so that the end product or movement could be enhanced through this dialectic.
“Live and let live” ignores duplicity, con men and price gouging.
“I don’t think there is a “we.” There is no collective way of thinking.”
Sure there is. There isn’t a collective mission statement but there is a level of consensus which I believe most enthusiasts here subscribe to. This common idea is based on workable solutions to address concerns: money–affordability in this economic climate, environmental or sustainable building practices, style–taste, etc.
EP-Person wants to convert you.
He doesnt understand that WE dont need conversion.
He wants to ram it down our throats. Oh well,
time to get comfy and react to the yawning going on!
“you go girl” Irene!
I really would like to see more photos of the inside of the home, the staircase, the loft. The inside looks very well put together.
It appears that Jessica is very happy with her home, and that she is a person with specialized needs. It is larger and more accommodating to her needs than a Tumbleweed of a similar size. If it works for her, I am happy for her. A friend of mine’s mom recently had a kitchen remodeled (in a conventional home), and all the cabinets contained formaldehyde, which caused the woman breathing problems and fatigue. The kitchen had to be ripped out while the woman lived elsewhere. Crappy materials are cheap and have a human toll at times, and higher-grade materials are more costly.
I am glad that in the end, this is exactly what Jessica wanted and needed. I am happy for her. I would like to see more photos inside though.
I too am shocked at the prices some tiny house builders ask but the option is there for people to build their own using salavaged materials, etc… from $1k plans or free plans. The builders offer a service for folks who can’t build their own house for lack of skills/ confidence, space, time… So I think slamming the whole tiny house movement for the high prices of some builders is a little much. This community offers choices and folks will make theirs according to their own situation. Plus housing like this is not an investment, it’s a HOME. That is why we had a real estate bubble in the first place – people stopped thinking of shelter as a basic human need and right and started thinking about housing as a market. We have to change that thinking. It’s the whole reason we have huge generic crap made houses everywhere. One size fits all. Except it doesn’t. And being mobile with your house if worth something too so you can move where you need to be for a new job or family care or whatever. You don’t have to worry about selling you unmoveable land and pay brokers and prperty transfer tax and legal fees, etc… There is a lot of freedom in living small and mobile and that is worth more than anything in my books.
He acts like this was his idea. His floor plan is almost identical to one of the Tumbleweed Tiny House floor plans — just a couple of modifications. And he calls it the “great room” — another term coined by Jay Shafer. Give credit where credit is due.
An original vintage vinyl release of Belle and Sebastian’s Tiger Milk can be purchased for nice chunk of change owed to its limited quantity and historical significance. The same could be said for certain cars, comic books or art pieces.
Replicas are available in the market for a very affordable prices. Sure, it’s not the original and there’s no nostalgic tales you can share with your drinking buddies about your prized possession but the content is not really that far off from the original.
The long and the short: even though Tiny Homes are not mass-produced, it’s not necessarily “art”. Therefore, consumers should be suspicious of price inflation.
Or you could burn anything by Belle and Sebastian that you ever owned, prominently display a copy of Generation X’s “Kiss Me Deadly” (knockoff or otherwise), and pray that nobody ever finds out what bad music you used to be into.
Taste in music is pretty much a subjective experience. I think kids who listen to Justin Bieber should have their ears examined but every generation has their share of guilty-pleasure. I wish every high school student were exposed to Rachmaninoff, Sigur Ros, Floyd and Miles Davis but pop culture has imposed tyranny on the public square.
However, I think you’re on the right track but certain “Tiny House Artists” would have issues with the idea of replicating their designs. Mr. Shafer made a big stink about this a few years ago by accusing other Tiny House businesses for stealing his shed on wheels idea but didn’t I read something about traveling homes in “The Grapes of Wrath”?
“Taste in music is pretty much a subjective experience.”
As are rationales for embracing a tiny home, as well as what price to pay, materials to use, type of setting on which to build/park. All subjective. I have made my point. Thanks. Though I’d still burn that album. “Pink Flag” by Wire is another you should try to clear your palate. 🙂
Price points are not subjective. It’s based on the market fluctuations, whims of the printing press (Fed Reserve), institutional pressure, government meddling, demand, commodity trading by mega Hedge Funds.
So when Tiny House businesses offer homes for $72K when their key competitors are roughly half that, something is clearly wrong.
of course price points are subjective.
Your dictation that they arent is ridiculous!
The customer gets what they pay for; gets what they want.
I like Gulf Shrimp, dont like those from thailand.
I will pay the price for what I like.
You’re conflating prices determined by the market and other external factors with personal preference. Whatever you want to pay for your mullet wig has no immediate impact on the market.
This is very, very basic stuff.
Go back to sleep and let the adults talk.
First off, belle and sebastian are shite. (my opinion, you are welcome to it.) If someone doesn’t want to buy something because they’re not “into it” then don’t buy it. Obviously builders are building because of the profit potential. But understand that the lumber costs aren’t as high but the electrical and the plumbing are about the same as a regular house. You still have to fish lines and plumb the walls and whatnot.. What people who poo-poo tiny housing don’t understand is that this type of housing is just a large house distilled into a smaller footprint, no frills. If i were single and no children i would have loved to be able to buy and live in a tiny home like this one. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. After all it is your choice no one is forcing anything on you. This isn’t for you. But to whine about “no land?” and “i could get a full size home for that much.” go ahead.. No one’s stopping you. The same was said about compact cars.. Netbooks.. Tablets.. And the funny thing is.. They’re all doing juuuust fine. Cheers.
It’s more than I would pay for something without land but without knowing the specifics of what went into the build and the cost of materials and labour and the local situation I wouldn’t know if the price was fair or not. Yes there are people who pay more than they should for a lot of things and many who manage to pay less than some widely acknowledged ‘market value’ but in the long run what counts is how you feel about what you got for what you paid. Hopefully you do enough research first to see what’s what but there is no getting around the fact that you can only have two out of three on good, cheap or fast unless you’re really, really lucky on time and materials and able to do the work properly yourself. The subject of adequate compensation for work done by others is something that will likely always be up for negotiation. The price of materials somewhat less so, depending on how fast you want them. If you can do your project with a cheaper material but would rather have something lighter, stronger, less toxic or whatever and that material costs more to buy and/or work with you get to decide if that’s worth it to you and act accordingly.
Way too expensive. The biggest point of a small home is to be free from a mortgage, and this would still cost $500-600/month on a traditional 30 year loan 😛
IF a bank will give you a loan for it. (Incidentally, I’m seeing mortgage rates listed at 3.875% interest rate [nominal rate – not APR] for 30-year fixed. At that rate, it would only be about $376/month for an $80,000 loan.) I can easily imagine a bank saying, “Absolutely NOT!” If you default on your mortgage on a house, it’s not going to be terribly difficult to find someone who’s interested in it. If you default on a loan for a travel trailer, there’s a big market for travel trailers as well. But here you’ve got something in between. It would be pretty hard to find someone else interested in living permanently in a structure smaller than a travel trailer, which, I would think, doesn’t tow as easily as a travel trailer – so you couldn’t use it as a replacement for one. And on top of it all, it’s obscenely expensive. If I were the bank, I wouldn’t want to take the risk of being stuck with it.
I wonder how or if she financed this. I would think you’d almost have to have the money up front, have collateral worth the amount of the loan, or have a cosigner with collateral. I’m merely speculating though.
At Tiny Green Cabins, our customers can see our records of project costs. We believe in transparency, and being sustainable. The part of being sustainable is staying in business to service our clients. That means we need to turn a small profit, and I do mean small. The Wildflower II costs for material came in at $38,700, the labor came in at 30,500, and that does not include liability insurance, a disability package for the workers, utilities, space rental, etc. The tale of the tape(cost) is really impacted by all the details in a tiny house.
Needless to say, the net profit on this tiny house was at 1%. The Gross profit was at 10.5%. The only way to get a higher gross profit is by mass production methods. Tiny houses do not lend themselves easily to that concept, and we like Jay Shafer from Tumbleweed believe in paying a living wage to our people. So, we do this because we really love building tiny houses for people that want one.
Jim: “Needless to say, the net profit on this tiny house was at 1%.”
You’re probably in the wrong business or you need to make drastic, fundamental changes to your model.
Bedroom “Architects” are selling PDF Plans for about $50 a pop with little or no operating expenses. It’s just pure marketing. A few bloggers have even offered free helpful tips in the DIY process.
The second built-in problem you face is that there is the internet and public libraries are filled with free open source information.
Lastly, competition. With the aforementioned internet plans, consumers can simply open their project to professional builders in a bidding process if they’re unable to complete it on their own.
Epperson,
We do not sell many plans, just a service to build custom tiny houses. As for the 1%, we did not loose money, so we are OK with it as it stands. It also means that we are constantly refining the pricing process and that is always on an going learning experience. The normal net profit target is 7-9%, and remember that net profit and gross profit are different. The next is after everything is paid for, plus all overhead, that is the dollar that is left for reinvesting, etc. And i am sure you already know that.
Jim,
Yes. Thank you.
The point–your home is over-priced because the challenges in reconciling materials and labor haven’t been adequately or efficiently addressed and this comes at the cost of the consumer.
Tiny House businesses come and go.
So uncalled for, Epperson. Just appalling behavior to address a builder so rudely and tell him how to run his business. Just awful.
Mr. Wllkins, if you have any photos of the staircase and loft, or any others of the house, I would like to see them. Is there a URL where these might be found? THX.
Are you new to the internet?
Comments and feedback are accepted on just about every site.
Astute business owners are able to turn negatives into positives by addressing criticisms or concerns by upping their game.
Why does this confound you?
To see more pictures in depth follow this link. http://tinygreencabins.com/wildflower-ii-grand-tour/
As for Epperson, I have 30+ years in construction, and 4 years in manufacturing, and 20% of those years as a senior estimator. The biggest challenge is buying power for materials, and dialing in the labor efficiencies. I am also Baldridge certified and ISO certified. So, we always looking for ways to improve to drive down costs. And yet, there are companies out there that make my price really competitive. And the just the opposite also. My goal is to find ways to drive down the price to the consumer.
nearly sleeping….
Jim,
You could have a PhD in Applied Sciences or Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a MBA from Harvard but at the end of the day, most consumers care about three things: price, quality and reputation.
1. Your price points is nearly double every key builder in this space. This is verifiable on this blog.
2. “Quality” is subjective and can vary from person to person. Generally, most people want clean, toxic-free materials. SIP Panels can be purchased individually and Soy Foam Insulation is accessible in most areas.
3. While your CV gives your profile a level of credibility, business reputation is earned over time. Jay Shafer has taken his lumps for his frivolous products but his designs are proven and time-tested. This gives him a clear edge in the market and his price points are significantly lower than yours.
A house isn’t something you’re going to change on a whim, either. A well-built one is supposed to withstand terrible conditions, as well as being transported.
I could do with LOTS more pictures, though.
And paying good workers well benefits everybody. These guys are local and they’re putting money into the economy. It’s hard work.
Jessica purchased a “Tiny Home” and not just a tiny house, big difference in my book. Having all her specific geographical and personal needs met was obviously something she was willing to pay for. Even though I would have liked to have seen more pictures of the inside, it is definitely one of the best looking and completely functional “homes” that I have ever seen on this site. That, coupled with the fact they used Green material… a more expensive way to construct a home helps justify the price. At what point in life do people actually start believing the expression “you get what you pay for”? It’s plain to me that Jessica has. My hats also off to Tiny Green Cabins for creating “Homes” and not just houses for this movement. Definitely the right direction if people are ever going to take us seriously in my opinion.
“Quality is never an accident, it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”
William A Foster
It’s a beautiful house. That curved roof is a unique and striking detail!
If you look at the additional photos (Mr. Wilkins has provided a link), you will see that the house has very detailed woodwork throughout. A sturdy railing in the loft, a staircase (not a ladder) that has drawers in every step. It’s a very beautiful home, and it’s green and it’ll keep the owner warm in the cold months. 🙂
She built a beautiful house that works for her and is happy with it. That’s worth applauding.
The cost seems so high. My 1000 square foot house is only 60,000. I want a tiny home but, the price is too high for this home.
I too believe in a livable wage & benefits for workers although I guess what is “livable” is up for discussion. That said, putting aside the materials costs, Mr. Wilkins said labour was $30k. Is $20 p/hr livable? That seems pretty good to me for a construction wage (My husband works as lead hand in a brutal warehouse job and makes $17 p/hr after 5 years and $20 seems a nice round number). So a rough calculation might be 2 guys @ $20 p/hr = 750 hours each (to get $15k salary). At a 40 hour workweek, it would take them 18.75 weeks or almost 5 months to build this little house. If you are only building 1 house at a time, that would be 2.5 a year, for a salary in the 38k range which is average-ish I think. 5 months seems a leisurely pace for 2 guys to build a tiny house IMHO. And maybe the materials are high because they are super special, the appliances are all Miele, I don’t know.
Please don’t consider my calculations/ opinions to be a knock on Mr. Wilkins at all. Given his comments I was just curious to work out a very cursory calculation on the labour piece, that’s all. Hubby and I haven’t decided if we will give building a go ourselves or hire someone else so this is food for thought.
Wow! I love the storage stairs. Who would have thought a full size washer and dryer would fit? – not me! It is gorgeous and I love the curved roofline. She will have many happy years in her new home. Congrats to both builder and owner – a win- win!
Wow, listen to people complain about the price. Well I live in a 1000 sq. foot mobile home which has the same type interior as those FEMA trailers. It’s adequate since we love to open the windows and because my husband can fix or alter anything which is just what you need to be able to do when you buy cheap as we did. Her home sounds like its been made of quality goods and with that nice round roof area, it looks as if a lot more care has been put into this than in my factory built home. Yes, the price is high but so is the quality. That’s like saying a cube of butter isn’t worth a pound of oleo. I say, give me 2 Tablespoons of butter over 2 lbs of junk oleo. Remember, I live in the cheap version!
Wow. This young woman got ripped off. I live in minnesota. Go to http://www.edinarealty.com and see the HUNDREDS of homes for sale under $40k. Tiny Green Cabins should be ashamed at this gouging.
http://www.edinarealty.com/homes-for-sale/MN/Elmore/56027/608-E-Willis-Street-54215048/popup
http://www.edinarealty.com/homes-for-sale/MN/Tyler/56178/110-S-Tyler-Street-67019148/popup
http://www.edinarealty.com/homes-for-sale/MN/Danube/56230/6th-St-64228936/popup
What cheap-looking crappy houses in small out-of-the-way towns THAT AREN’T ON TRAILERS.
Nor do they fulfill the allergen-sensitivity test, I bet.
Want to compare apples to watermelons, too?
Thank you ginmar for your response. I was feeling very small and judgemental yesterday for posting something so negative about this woman’s home. It might not seem worth it to me, but perhaps it is worth it to her.
In response to your comment, as of yesterday there were 612 homes built after 1920 for less than $40k on Edinarealty.com. They are located from Lake of the Woods all the way down to Worthington. I chose the small out-of-the-way homes based on the story line indicating that she was 100 miles from a laundromat. That indicates she is living somewhere fairly remote. I dont think the homes look crappy, although I’m sure some of them are. I suspect that with the additional $55k you would save buying one of these crappy homes, you could create a paradise of allergen free living.
You are correct that not one of them are on a trailer.
I think the important point here is that we still have options for homes. Some people can afford high quality well built tiny homes and that’s wonderful, and other people can afford FEMA trailers or some other option made with cheaper materials. It’s all about CHOICE and that’s important to realize. Don’t bash companies for what they are doing, just find what is right for you. Traditional homes come in all levels of style and quality, so what’s the difference with tiny homes?? (none)
I love, love, love the custom stairs with the storage drawers. What an amazing use of space and beautiful too!
There are plenty of pictures and videos at this company’s website detailing not only the interiors of this company’s homes but also videos that detail the quality of construction i.e. custom made drawers in every step up to the loft on the home shown above with dovetail joints in every single drawer. These may not be your typical tiny houses in terms of price, but the craftsmanship in these houses is also exquisite. In addition, the option to have a home designed for someone who suffers from asthma, allergies and/or chemical sensitivities is a unique offering. As someone who struggles with just such issues, this is no small feature.
I’m not attempting to debate the price-point. I’m simply saying that sometimes it seems like those of us in the tiny-home crowd (whether already living in one or planning to make such a change) can tend to pooh-pooh things that don’t fit into our self-determined parameters. Quite frankly, we can get a little close to the self-righteous corner. If people are buying this company’s homes, then for the time being there is a market for their product. I’m not suggesting that anyone stops asking questions and raising concerns. But there will be a wide range of people interested in an even wider range of tiny and small-home offerings, especially in this economy.
For those, like myself, who can’t manage a ladder due to a disability, building a tiny home myself isn’t an option. I also have struggles with severe asthma and allergies — these types of tiny homes offer me a way to simplify, downsize and live out my desire to lower my footprint on this earth. During all of my research into the tiny home offering’s I’ve yet to see the custom built quality in a tiny home like this company offers.
The storage steps in an actual staircase leading to a loft that is detailed and appears to be more from a 500sqft home than one on a trailer caught my eye. I think the home is magnificent and the craftsmanship is evident. The materials won’t make the owner sick; there’s a usable porch; there’s room for laundry and a second way out on the first floor in case of an emergency. There’s a lot to be said for this house. The builder did a great job.
Those are some of the things that caught my eye. I know some have felt that having any kind of washer/dryer in a small space is a waste and that it’s no big deal to take a trip to the laundromat. But for someone who’s disabled, a trip to the laundromat is not necessarily a simple thing. For me, having a washer/dryer is a necessity. I would personally choose a combo w/d to minimize these loss of space. But it’s details like this that matter. I’m not debating that this tiny house does cost a lot of money. But their methods for choosing the products and the craftsmanship that goes into these homes is impressive. I also like that you can still customize the home, altering the floor plan and changing features.
I’d LOVE it if I could build my own tiny house and use salvaged products everywhere possible. But it’s just not not feasible for me. My dream is to live in a tiny home completely off the grid. I’d like to show people that you can downsize and cut down you day-to-day living costs making your own life more free while also limiting your impact on the environment. I’d also like to show that you can do this while still having a washer/dryer and maybe even a single-drawer dishwasher. You can power your laptop and flat-screen TV and a composting toilet might actually not be all that scary of a thing.
This might be a small thing, but on the allergen-free home, where they used metal framing, they took the extra step of running all the electrical through conduit instead of relying simply on the cheaper (and completely compliant) grommets typically placed in each metal stud (which can fall-out/wear out over time creating a hazard as the wires rub on a thin metal edge). That’s the kind of detail that really impressed me.
but,conduit is not always the best way when condensation is a possibility.. cold places produce that possibility…
Understand and don’t disagree which is also why their construction includes careful and effective insulation methods. There’s nothing earth shattering or specific to them about that but it demonstrates their awareness and experience in construction.
To ye of so little manners,
As someone who works in the building industry, I can say that I have worked with contractors and builders who were barely more than handymen, and those who have the skill to build the Taj Mahal if it was asked. Most consumers can’t tell the difference between quality workmanship and crap. When the don’t recognize quality, they squeel about the price. When they get EXACTLY what they paid for, they squeel about – well, just about everything. I have no sympathy, you got what you deserved. As the saying goes: “service, quality, price – pick any two…”
If you can’t tell the difference between a diamond and a cheap piece of glass, that’s your fault. Unfortunately you felt the need to make it someone else’s problem.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To Jim Wilkins.
You built a lovely house. Your service gave someone a home. Your company gave someone (or several someones) a job. Your business taxes support your community. Your business makes the world a better place. Your insistence of quality workmanship makes me happy.
Kudos to you. You’re one of the good guys.
Wow, so much controversy! Kind of interesting. 🙂 Some of you are quite judgmental! 😉 For me it’s just too expensive to be practical *for my needs*. But – to each their own. Looks like nice craftsmanship.
The problem with tiny houses is that its just as easy to build a dinning room table as it is to build a coffee table. The concept of value being much higher for the dinning table. The best situation would be to combine tiny houses together and share a lodge area. If you cant build your own then you trade labor to someone who can. Form a community of people that can live and work well together. Like a extended family. Look for a futuristic design coming soon called the, “Anvil pod” Structural kits will start at around 15k for a office, 25k for a 200 sq ft house with a loft. Its only the laser cut steel structure made to fit together like legos. The rest can be finished in your own time with simple construction. The labor is reduced using machines to do the tedious work. All modern manufacturing is done this way. Every part of a house can be cut from auto cad drawings. This is the future of construction..
I like your idea and I’ve pondered over the concept of combining small structures for a sort-of living compound, if you will. I do have one things to ask — you suggest that if you can’t do the building yourself then trade labor with someone who can. Trade what for the labor? I suffered my first stroke at 25, less than 4 years after playing my last college basketball game, and my second stroke 2 years ago. While I’m recovering, at this time I am completely disabled. I don’t have anything of value to trade at this point, either in possessions or in skills/abilities. I’ve spoken to several other people in positions similar to mine – they too desire an independent, green and simpler life.
I’m not attempting to stir up conflict nor am I whining about my life — not at all. It’s full of wonderful blessings and I consider myself on yet another wild adventure. I’m wanting to speak up and show that there are people who desire this kind of scaled-down life who don’t fit the mold of those “typically” seeking a simple, small and environmentally aware life in a tiny house.
Exactly! the reasoningsfor living in a tiny are varied and not all of them are dedicated to carbonless footprint but to merely being able to live in shelters of our chosing.
Go for it LM!
I love the idea that trading the skills and form a community . I can do lot of things ( sewing , crocheting , cooking _ Asian food , baking _ American cakes , gardening …) however, I am an elderly who has disability , therefore , I don’t think any one would trade my skill to…
Building something _ construction something …it would take lot of strength and knowledge , that …I can’t and I don’t know how . I wish in my area ( De ) they would allow a tiny houses community . But too bad , here , the planning & zoning are so strict so they will not allow anything cute or wild or fun like these tiny houses in this blog although they said OK on the mobile home …( to me , that is boring ) little tiny houses make it fun and affordable _ if not too pricey . I am seriously thinking about moving to another state that allow to build hay & clay houses , those are cute too . THat is why I keep coming to this site to see all the beautiful design tiny houses , some are great with price , some are a bit too high price like the one Jessica has . But it is fine . As long as she wants it , that counts . NO need to say Yes or NO or debate , because after all , we come here to enjoy seeing beautiful tiny houses , not to have some unpleasant chat . Have a great day all . TM.
Beautiful house…I get that people think it is overpriced, but from the perspective of someone who does custom carpentry I understand how a project like this could get expensive very quickly and you wouldn’t be able to see it by looking at a few pictures. I hope people understand there are very many ways to frame and finish a house. I am guessing that this was approached with painstaking care and attention to detail. If you don’t want a house where professionals spends months pouring over the details, you could get a much cheaper one, but if you have the money for it and appreciate the lasting and beautiful effect created by that sort of attention, then why not? Nice job!
Well said Michael! I too think this one is definitely on the pricy side, but you’re absolutely right. Also what I think people are failing to notice is that Jessica mentioned being chemically sensitive and the house was designed to be low VOC. That puts in a lot of extra time designing and the extra cost of materials that will lessen off-gassing.
Somewhere in Vegas or the Upper East Side in NY, there are upscale restaurants which serve expensive burgers. Instead of traditional ground chuck, they use Kobe beef imported from certified ranches in Japan. Foie Gras is added along with shavings of Truffle.
To snooty rich folks, they may actually see “value” in eating an expensive hamburger. Think about the tales they can regale their guests with at the next Society event.
However, to people who are struggling to put food on the table in this economic climate, the traditional burger from the local stand would provide for nourishment.
It’s perspective, I guess. A burger has very humble origins. The idea originated in Europe but here, it was meant for the common man at carnivals.
So in the minds of most people, the burger should not be an excessively expensive item on any menu–upscale restaurant or Townie pub.
yawn…..
Have an adult read it to you. You may end up appreciating the analogy.
still yawn…
yawning more… dozing off a tad…
Given the lack of a rational response, the yawning may be attributed to nutritional deficiencies, old age or poor reading comprehension.
Jim’s solution: give him $72,000 so that could enjoy a good rest in an over-priced loft.
epperson (yawning on this end still) thinks that just because a group of peole happen to have an interest in tiny houses means that they agree with his litany of why we belong and what we consider the criteria of owning one.
That does not at all include me! The concept is a great idea but the things I am involved in make a “tiny” impossible. SO, the cost of any of it – the buiding, the land, the transport vehicle – is nil.
The tiny houses in a landscape are perfect examples of daydreams…. may only be parttime places to hover or already abandoned – still pretty and enjoyable to look at as art.
Not too long ago, we looked at a house – serenity – and nearly sterile and there were some negative comments – questions – statements – and the entire thread was removed. In this case, we have a woman, JESSICA, who is educated, knew what she wanted, scouted the builder, spoke with the builder, arrived at a price and has exactly EXACTLY what she wants. Everyone is happy. Except for some people on this list.
Attacking anyone personally, is flaming and off topic. The arrogance and the insulance of a certain EP-person is disgusting.
Perhaps you should learn to read or allow more rational people to talk, yeah?
You seem entirely ignorant and intolerant of ideas opposed to your own superficial view of the world.
A personal attack on someone is called an Ad hominem. A critical analysis of something that person offered is usually called dissent or rebuttal or a rejoinder.
My contention is that the logic doesn’t follow. Either building material and labor is more expensive in Minnesota than other parts of the country where other Tiny Homes are built or it’s poor business management. This comes at the cost to the buyer and it’s only fair to point this out.
ah, the POT is speaking!
Is your black? stainless, silver or gold.
Me thinks
Black.
Like the kettle!
You are a flamer and since no one else is willing to say it, i did.
You flame and tho you may get by with it now that Kent is not here, I am fully willing to pay the price he will dole out!
The price for my infraction a small price.
I will get more rah-rahs out of this than you will EP-person.
You’re losing your grip and have resorted to what the nematodes do on Craigslist.
I suspect it’s your inability to grapple with words and ideas so in turn, your respond with what you’re familiar with–trite talking points.
Most educated adults know the distinction in the following:
Debating the point–productive.
Debating the man–Ad hominem and logical fallacy.
You HAVE pointed it out. And pointed it out and pointed it out when people eloquently argued back and bettered you. You did not, even then, have the sense to back off and see that your intellect and manners were bettered than others.
V has pointed out that you are arrogant, something I wanted to say yesterday when you were so unbelievably rude to Mr. Wilkins, but I was too angry to phrase it in a way that was not vulgar. So, I held my tongue. Here, V has done a far more effective job, and you still do not get it. You have been put in your place and are not smart enough to realize that.
I feel a bit bad for you because, in addition to being rude and having terrible taste in music, you appear to be desperately in need of a therapeutic dose of Adderall or Concerta (untreated ADD can make a person blurt things out without thinking)and you probably get beaten up frequently. Still, no excuse to repeat your rude train of thought over and over and over.
This is what keeps me off this blog for months at a time–people like this.
Oh that’s a low blow!
You can criticize me all you want but don’t take it out on Pink Floyd or Radiohead or Muse or Tool or any other piece in my collection.
ah, I~
he is used to it. Loves any response to his words.
THrives on it actually. Leans back after hitting the SUBMIT and thinks, “AH, I have IMPRESSED THEM ALL!” Might actually SAY IT OUTLoud!
But alas, in but a few comments has alienated a goodly portion of readers. Maybe $10,000 sez that it happens on all the other comments he participates in.
Yes, I am being critical of EP- but it will give our leader some really knowledge of the kind of person EP is and can decide to moderate or not.
As I said, I am willing to pay the price for the shouto-out!
His words were not constructive. They were derogatory to the builder and the owner. That is unacceptable to me.
I get it. So when opponents call out Romney and Newt for their inconsistencies and glaring contradictions, you probably at home thinking “these guys are arrogant and smug and rude for calling out the obvious”.
If you want genteel civility, go play bridge with your contemporaries.
Otherwise, do you actually have a coherent point on the topic of over-priced Tiny Homes?
OK, I think we can suss out your position on class struggles and whatnot, so could you maybe, please, stop battering at people with your examples of how the evil rich people fatten on the corpses of the poor? There is more than a whiff of moral superiority in your tone at times. Whether that comes from an excess of zeal or some other source I’m sure you could manage to take a few deep breaths and let the polemic slide now and again.
Moral superiority?
Did you read a dissertation on the fallacies of Relativism anywhere in my comments? Did I allude to an Objective Standard? Did I quote Cicero, Lao-Tzu, Moses or even secular humanism?
I think you people are groupies. You only want builders and businesses to be showered with praise but don’t think its fair play to criticize an offering.
Alice: I suggest we ignore all he writes. He appears to be a colossal @sshole and will respond to any bit of negative or positive reinforcement. I have a dog like this. She is very fawning and cloying (but not unpleasant, just desperate for attention, always pawing at you). People like this are best ignored. I, sadly, just realized this.
V: Everybody in “real life” calls me “I.” Funny that a stranger would, too. I guess the ignored one would be “E” since we are going by initials at this point…
You need a FB page to see this little graphic, but I think it applies to the situation at hand:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150428472626275&set=a.180479986274.135777.177486166274&type=1&theater
Over and out, happy holidays to all.
ROARING… but it could be because I missed hitting the NAIL ON THE HEAD and Hurt my finger!
Nah, It is because the image is SPot ON!!
Nice holidays to ya I~
Sigh, yeah, I do know better and will definitely take your good advice on this from now on. Best wishes to all for whatever you celebrate. May the only foam in our mouths come from beverages of choice and yummy treats! Bring on the frothy cocoa!
Interesting to read these comments.
I think what a lot of people are not understanding when comparing Jessica’s house to a larger house that could be bought for less is that larger homes have the advantage of “economies of scale” built in. Most lumber yards and building supply places will give a discount for larger orders of materials. You only need 10 sheets of 1/2 ” plywood it’ll be X amount. If you need 70 sheets, it’s quite a bit less. Smaller home = less products = higher cost per square foot (when compared to a ‘full’ sized home). With this as the ‘base’ cost, you then have to add the specifics that Jessica wanted. High end appliances and design features that are not the norm, i.e., the curved roof. Ask anyone who has done any building and they will tell you, if it’s not straight and square, it’s gonna cost more.
As for the comparing Jessica’s trailer to a FEMA trailer….are you kidding???? That’s like comparing a rickshaw to a Cadillac Escalade. Two completely different animals.
I for one congratulate Jessica for obtaining a home of her dreams.
The topic, much to the contrary of EPPERSON’s view on the story, is about
“Jessica and HER Tiny Green Cabin”.
We are all glad that you like your cabin and hope that you enjoy it in whatever setting you choose…
I conclude that Epperson is
Jealous!
*sigh*
I realize there are very ignorant people on the internet who masquerade as “experts” but after a sincere attempt at clarifying the etymology of an Ad hominem, it’s been reduced to this.
A savvy business person would take any feedback–positive or negative–and adjust accordingly to deliver a superior product, increase market share and enhance his reputation.
At the end of the day, most business owners care about their own business. They would sooner sacrifice their limbs than to allow hindrances to get in the way of profits.
I like to think the Tiny House movement is above this. So far, the best ideas seem to come from individual bloggers or people like Peter King who doesn’t want to charge you king’s ransom for information.
It’s nothing personal. It’s not even political. It’s business–criticism as a check.
This is not a difficult concept. Why is this lost on you?
Perhaps some of the less ‘open’ responses are due to the fact that you’ve seemed to appoint yourself as the purveyor of this helpful advice. If the business person (or forum poster) in question isn’t responding as you’d like to your input then you’ve seemed to take some offense and even get a little harsh towards that person (my opinion only). At that point it becomes difficult to then hear what you’re saying beyond the rough edges. You have meaningful input and viewpoints. But others are not required to take share those views or adopt your ideas and that doesn’t automatically render them an ‘unsmart’ business person. It simply makes them someone with a differing approach.
You seem to have very set parameters for what should be a tiny-house — cost, materials, methods, etc. It’s alright for there to be other viewpoints, other methods, etc. that reach out to a segment of people with a different set of parameters that work for them. There’s room for all of it. At the end of that day, if more people end up scaling down their homes, scaling down their consumerism, scaling down their energy consumption and thinking more about their impact on the environment, then that’s a win all the way around.
I’m a Libertarian so I believe in open markets and free exchange of ideas. I also enjoy a good debate as you can tell. This obviously will rub people the wrong way and I understand this. However, I do make it a point to be clear about the ideas and premises I stake my arguments on.
Jim seems like a sincere person so I don’t doubt his intent but I do question his approach given how we’ve seen so many Tiny Houses just flop over the years.
My view when businesses fail is that they don’t fully understand their target market and how to meet their demands.
I do have some regret over the way this thing unfolded but I can’t help but think the idea of Tiny House ownership is nothing more than a short-term money-making potential when the price points from this company is much higher than their competitors.
Lastly, I don’t take umbrage over it. However, you don’t seem to apply the same standards to others in the squabble.
That said, I’ll leave this topic to others.
I do not mind Eppersons points and counterpoints. I view them as ideas and some may be worthy of discussion and others, well, I am not there yet.
I, like Epperson, have seen people start building a tiny house, and then try to sell it for a song, not even covering expenses. It is a highly competitive market and easy for the backyard mechanic to build one to unload on craiglist. You can view them every day. Our niche started as tiny houses, and it evolved into non toxic for the environmentally sensitive person. My personal view is that all homes should be built that way, and maybe someday, they will. So we evolved into micro homes, park models, and being one of the few in this country that use steel framing for our structure. We build them to last 50 years, so people can take them wherever life takes them. We started the business to make a difference and be of service for people that needed another option.
I do not mind being attacked, or given possible ideas on how to make a company better. It is up to me then to take what is useful and toss out the garbage with the trash.
However, I do not like seeing my customers attacked or insinuated that she/they did/do not know what they are doing. Jessica is a very astute, intelligent person, and did her homework prior to contact. She compared prices against her needs and wants, checked out the competition, had list of specification requirements, and wanted the cabin customized. Like my other customers, they are professionals in their field and do their due diligence. We are not the cheapest kid on the block and yet we provide a quality second to none – along with new ideas, and concepts. if you can draw it on paper, and we can design it, we can build it. We like incorporating concepts and design found in the McMansions and offering people the option of them in our designs.
Anyhow, I need to go back to work so that our next customer gets his cabin in 2 weeks.
Mr. Wilkins,
Thank you for your classy, poised and well thought out response. It seems very in-line with the product and service you present. You’ve learned who you are, what you’re passionate about and you’ve forged ahead. I applaud you. As someone with very specific needs – both accessibility wise and allergy/asthma wise – your homes are extremely appealing to me. I also love that you’re homes are built to last for 50 years, as you say. That’s precisely what I’m looking for. Thank you for what you’re doing — it’s meeting a need and putting forth another voice and vision into this ever evolving movement.
I really try to avoid comment threads on this site because usually the class warfare peeps come out to play, and it’s seriously exhausting. I think my soul would eat me alive if I indulged in that kind of negativity all of the time.
ANYWAY, to the owner of this lovely home: it’s gorgeous and fantastic and I love that you are living your own life your own way. My husband and I will be building our own tiny house in the coming year and it’s nice to see one that is a bit bigger! Inspiring.
amen!
Class warfare? Ooh, look, I see a dogwhistle.
The opposing viewpoints are (painting with a wide brush here) people who desire a fully-optioned, custom, contractor-built home minus excess square footage; and people who desire adequate shelter in the least resource (both financial and enviromental) intensive way possible.
The cost of this home is perfectly reasonable to one group and absurd to the other. Never the twain shall meet.
Both of these viewpoints are fully valid and neither rise to the level of being a “class.”
My hope is that you used the term “class warfare” ironically because you recognize that that term is made up crap from charlatans trying to obfuscate real and valid economical concerns. I would hate to think you’re one of the many duped individuals who have been convinced that it is a real concept.
I was ABSOLUTELY using the term class warfare ironically.
Of course it’s made up. That’s why I hate reading comments on here that say ridiculous crap like “this is rich people getting the best of poor people.” By…offering an optional service in an industry with a thousand different options, including building at tiny house yourself from waste construction?
I assumed as much. My last paragraph was was more for the greater audience than an assumption about you.
The article clearly states that Jessica was very particular about what she wanted, what her needs were, and that she saved in able to get exactly what she wanted. I think it’s great that there are companies that cater to niche markets and are able to provide services to each of us. Jessica has many high end options in her home. She chose them. She took years to research her purchase. I’m certain she thinks she did the right thing. Who are we to question her?
As many have said before, Tiny House enthusiasts tend to agree on only one thing–we love tiny houses. And we don’t even agree on what constitutes “tiny” some of the time. I am so tired of those who want to put us into an all-inclusive box. We just aren’t. Let’s just enjoy the diversity of what is out there for everyone who things living in a tiny space is a grand idea–for whatever their reasons.
WOW! This is a crazy thread….
I only have one comment….
At what price would the readers think that this house is overpriced? If it cost $100K or $200K
would we all be in agreement that at 196sq feet that the owner got ripped off?
At what price is a tiny house too much?
well, there are some motorcoaches about that square footage that cost quite a bit more than $200K. Technically they are small to tiny-homes. I’m not trying to be snarky — I have family who lived for several years in their 5th wheel and another who lived in their motorhome for the better part of five years.
I was one of the first contributors to this forum back in 2008 with my report on “A tiny house in Australia.” My house cost less than $10,000 and I still live in it, and love it. I am always tinkering with it, finding ways to improve its livability. It certainly sustains me through my current unemploment because I have no mortgage and pay no bills. But I have to admit that my house is the work and the quality of an amateur. The house under discussion here reflects the craftsmanship of professionals and you pay for that. In the end I prefer to have no mortgage.
Judging by the tons of compliments and suggestions here, it is an understatement that you did a great job. The facade is really nice, congrats on a beautiful home.
I must admit that I suffered from sticker shock when I first saw the cost, but I think it’s actually pretty fair, considering the house is built locally and to exact specifications. Jessica now has the house of her dreams and, most importantly, it’s free of environmental toxins and will withstand the frigid winters in her neck of the woods.
It’s a lovely house. I especially love the arch in the roof line and the little porch.
As a long time homebuilder I will not comment on the price . It seemed high ,but there are lot of hidden costs, a reasonable margin of profit , and a level of skill, fit and finish that make it more akin to building a boat than a home. As a homebuilder, happy customers that got what they were promised are what we strive for.
jessica,Sorry your wonderful home has become a lightening rod on this site. I think some posters forget what site they actually logged on to. Take the whiners and dissers with a grain of salt. If someone wants land with their home-happy mowing. If someone wants wheels under their home-happy trails. If someone can build their home with their own sweat and blood-happy hammering.If someone can start their own building company and build for less-happy hiring. In the end all that matters is your happiness. Enjoy your beautiful home.
Very well said TJ
I think it’s a lovely home and I understand why the costs run higher due to her specific requirements. I am just wondering if she couldn’t afford rent or a regular home on a teacher’s salary, how was she able to afford this? Does the company offer affordable financing? I just read the blog above and apologize if there is more explained elsewhere that I missed.
Ok Enough, Tiny houses are cool… Period
Unfortunately a novice working with a builder can be taken advantage of in the price area. If she is happy with her new home then great.
A lesson to other folks out there thinking of doing the same thing. Once you have your “house” plan, it is easy to put together your material list for the tiny house. Use retail pricing for each item. Add it up, add tax and 20 to 30% for contractor assembly, oversight and profit. Then the price you have should be on the high end of what a unit should cost and if you are being gouged. The goal is to get what exactly what you spec’d for the best price.
I am more impressed with folks that use recycled and re-purposed materials to put together shelter for unique and cheap than others writing a check.
I know there are many skilled retirees that are homeowners that if you rolled a trailer in their driveway could build that house for 1/2.
The high end “tiny” houses are no different than the McMansions and should be the exception in this movement.
The builder that charged what he did for this house should be ashamed.
We’re not building rockets here folks – it’s just a house and not much a one at that.
Agreed.
if you are such a handy husband can you devise something that will stop you from writing insulting blog posts?
I don”t find his post “insulting”!! Why is it that telling the truth has become politically incorrect! What they charge for this little house is unbelievable. I have built 3 homes, for my family and all of them were at least 1,500 sq ft. It cost me an average of $80K to build each one. One could buy an extremely nice RV for the price of one of these houses! So, quit being so sensitive to the truth and allow others to give their opinion! I find your comments to be more insulting; specifically, you telling someone that they shouldn’t tell the truth, because it “insulted” you! If you want to be ripped off, go ahead and let people break it of in you! I appreciate someone standing up and telling the truth and warning people about being ripped off! Get a life!
Actually I am pretty handy having built 2, 1500+ sq. ft. superinsulated houses and many home additions as a contractor. The average sq foot price for my 2 homes was way under $100 – on foundations. I would be interested in your experience.
How is it that folks are so thin skinned that if they see a critique,they call it an “insult”.
– Even if the information is correct.
Do the material estimate and the math, should take you less than 4 hours – you can do better on price.
Don’t you other folks do the same thing – do your homework – it’s just a shed on wheels.
Thank you for your input Handy husband. For some of us now over 50 and don’t have a handyman and trying to find someone to put one of these together for us……….I am very appreciative of the advice for what somethinglike this should ACTUALLY cost!!
I had to smile at your last line:
Don’t you other folks do the same thing – do your homework – it’s just a shed on wheels.
I only have one superinsulaterd home to my credit … and we both know price per ft2 depends on the materials used.
All that being said, I do love the look of this tiny house, it meets her needs, and that is what’s important. How about we ask her if she thinks it was overpriced? 😉
I didn’t think that was insulting, either. It’s just the plain truth. My dad could have built that for far less money. He built the first homes I lived in, and even adjusting for inflation, spent nowhere near this amount. Our homes were one-room even until there were 4 kids and another on the way. I think his generation pioneered ‘tiny homes’ LOL. Actually, people have been building and living in tiny homes forever.
Great, practical advice; thanks for sharing! There are always people who will exploit every trend that comes along, including ones like this which are supposed toward less consumerism.
I like small and tiny houses for other reasons than the environment. I like small things. One of the reasons I have a small car. 🙂
$400 per sq. ft is a lot of money for any house. Maybe they used one of those $6000 Air Force toilets. I surely hopes she loves it.
knowing Jessica she did not pay any more for this house than was fair. It looks great. I can’t wait to see more of it. Send some pictures!
I love tiny houses, but I would not pay $85,000 for this in a MILLION years! What in the world?! We built our full-size house for not much more than that.
$85,000 for 196 sq feet???? Why?
I love that your tiny house is a little bigger than the average but still on wheels! I also like the additional bump out in the loft, the washer/dryer and stairs to the loft. Could you email me some pics of the inside? I’m trying to collect ideas to plan out my own tiny house
hmmmm… looks like vinyl siding to me… 🙁
I’m afraid I have to agree that the house seems way over priced. My husband is an estimator/carpenter and this little house shouldn’t have cost as much as a much larger house. People need to be aware of how much things cost, so they won’t get taken. But then again, maybe that’s their ‘charge’ for the labor. Needs to be more pics so we can really see what she got. Dawn
Jessica, Do you think your tiny house was overpriced? Thanks
I agree that if the owner is happy with her home great!
I just finished a custom tiny home, Tumbleweed’s design, and it cost a lot more than Tumbleweed would have sold the home for. Milling all the lumber, making all the roof shakes by hand, concrete countertops, etc. are details that come with a price…but it didn’t cost anywhere near $85,000.
The house is beautiful, but $75 to $80 thousand? That is robbery. And a shame to.
i have to say hes right if you know anybody needing a house built like that let me know ill do it for half that!!!!
‘Tis a double shame: overpriced and underpictured. I was really looking forward to seeing more pictures of the interior as I am interested in building a ladder/storage/stairs combo of sorts and want to see all versions of such.
As for the price, this father and son company said they offer all-green and non-toxic options, which I’m assuming are at a premium since the demand is low (people still seem to be satisfied with toxic building materials and inefficient power…). In Jessica’s case, she needed special treatment for her allergies and if you’re buying something special it’s often not cheap.
I’m no builder or anything, but I imagine what I mentioned above plays a role in the outrageous price. Not to mention a company’s drive for profit, which seemingly results in selling things at 100% markup from what it cost to make.
I could be wrong but from what I’ve seen it appears that based upon what this lady wanted in her home (materials used) could be the reason why it may have cost her so much. I will be building a log home version of a tiny home. Right now with just the generic materials only (not assembled) its between 11k – 15k. That doesn’t include purchasing land clearing the land electric, sewer, well permits etc. My builder who from what I can tell is right on point (I investigate EVERYTHING) I should be able to build my tiny home 350 – 450 sq ft for about 50k turnkey….